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Palliative Care Research

Concord palliative care service is committed to providing best practice evidence based care. This includes offering patients and families the opportunity to participate in research designed to improve care. Being part of local, national and international research assists us to create a dynamic service which best meets the needs of our patients. We welcome expressions of interest from patients, carers and consumers who would like to contribute to this important program of work.

The Concord Centre for Palliative Care is leading a program of translational research to improve outcomes for patients. 

We currently have clinical trials recruiting for patients with cancer and poor appetite, fatigue, distress and pain which test cannabis, meditation and testosterone and welcome enquiries through your palliative care clinician.

We are collaborating with Australian and international researchers from the Sydney Local Health District, Palliative Care Clinical Studies Collaborative, Cancer Symptom Trials, Improving Palliative Care through Clinical Trials: NSW, University of Notre Dame, UNSW, Centre for Improving Palliative, Aged and Chronic Care through Clinical Research and Translation UTS, Palliative Care Outcomes Collaborative and Japanese Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer, Calvary Healthcare and Exercise and Sports Science Australia on a range of research investigating palliative care symptoms, service provision and equity of access.  

We thank the patients and carers who have contributed to Concord Palliative Care research to improve outcomes for all patients. 

Our Research Team

Associate Professor Ghauri Aggarwal Clinician Researcher, Staff Specialist,  SLHD Clinical Director Cancer and Palliative Care
Dr Dipti Mittal Clinician Researcher, Staff Specialist, Head of Department
Dr Jessica Lee Research lead, Staff Specialist, PhD candidate
Dr Megan Ritchie Research lead, Staff Specialist
Lauren Stewart Research Registered Nurse
Hami Kim Research Registered Nurse
Ivy Gough Clinical Nurse Consultant
Rebecca Ciampa Clinical Nurse Specialist
Tanya Munn Clinical Nurse Consultant
Megan Day Transitional Nurse Practitioner
Gina Fletcher Clinical Nurse Consultant
Alison Hession Clinical Nurse Consultant, PhD candidate
Louise Ambegoda Clinical Nurse Consultant
Grace Edwards Clinical Nurse Consultant
Annie Nagy Dietitian
Veronica Kuller Speech Pathologist
William Mckelleher Pastoral Care
Dr Gowri Raman Staff Specialist
Dr Jared Millican Staff Specialist
Dr YanNi Loh Staff Specialist
Edward Lie Service Development Officer

Selected Grants

Amount awarded Grant and project details
$20,000 Palliative Care Clinical Academic Group Maridulu Budyari Gumal, 2022-2025
Meditate Pallcare.
Investigators: Stewart L, Lee J, Martinez J.
$25,000 PaCCSC/CST, 2022-2024
Testosterone treatment for the management of fatigue in ambulatory patients with advanced cancer: A double-blind placebo-controlled study.
Investigators: Ritchie M, Lee J.
$978,610 NHMRC, 2020-2024
Depart Pain.
Investigators: Lee J (CIG).

Our Publications

2024

Agar M, Xuan W, Lee J, Barclay G, Oloffs A, Jobburn K, Harlum J, Maurya N, Chow JSF. Longitudinal symptom profile of palliative care patients receiving a nurse-led end-of-life (PEACH) programme to support preference to die at home. BMJ Open. 2024 Jan 2;14(1):e058448. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-058448.
Hession A, Luckett T, Currow D, Barbato M. Nurses' encounters with patients having end-of-life dreams and visions in an acute care setting - A cross-sectional survey study. J Adv Nurs. 2024 Aug;80(8):3190-3198. doi: 10.1111/jan.16079. Epub 2024 Jan 31.

Our Presentations

2024

Aggarwal G. Invited speaker. Enhancing Palliative Care in the Philippines through collaboration with the APHN-Lien Collaborative Training Program. National Palliative and Hospice Care Summit 25th-28th September 2024. Manila. 
Gough I. Invited speaker. Enhancing Palliative Care in the Philippines through collaboration with the APHN-Lien Collaborative Training Program. National Palliative and Hospice Care Summit. 25th-28th September 2024. Manila. 
Day M, Edwards G. End of Life Care Audits. How do they help? Palliative Care Nurses Australia Biennial Conference. 31st July-2nd August 2024. Melbourne.
Edwards G., Miles N. Saving the Subcutaneous Cannula Site. Palliative Care Nurses Australia Biennial Conference. 31st July-2nd August 2024. Melbourne.
Lee J, Huang E, Hutton E, et al. Should we give up on lidocaine trials? Implications of preliminary results of the lidocaine for neuropathic cancer pain feasibility study (LICPAIN). Australia New Zealand Society Palliative Medicine, Adelaide. 5th-8th September 2024. BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care 2024;14:A6-A7. 
Hutton E, Huang E, Agar M, ... Lee JT. Safety profile of lidocaine infusion in people with advanced cancer; secondary outcome data from LiCPain feasibility trial. Australia New Zealand Society Palliative Medicine, Adelaide. 5th-8th September 2024. BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care 2024;14:A42. 
Lee J, Connolly A, Daveson B, Ritchie M, Agar M, Lovell M, Phillips JL, Clark K, Yates P, Aggarwal G, Currow D. Moderate and severe pain is prevalent in people with prostate and urological cancer in the last week of life. Poster presented at ANZUP Scientific Meeting 2024. Gold Coast. 21st-23rd July 2024. 
Barry S, Lee J, Fitzmaurice C, et al. Impact of delirium on prognosis in palliative care inpatients undergoing discharge planning to an aged care facility: a retrospective cohort study. Australia New Zealand Society Palliative Medicine Adelaide. 5th-8th September 2024. BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care 2024;14:A23. 
Nagy, A. Dietitics Model of Care in Community SLHD. Palliative Care NSW Conference. 31st October-2nd November 2024. Tamworth 
Aggarwal, G. Hospice New Zealand Conference. Wellington. 4th -5th November 2024. 
Lee J, Agar M., Currow D., et al.  Lidocaine (lignocaine) for Neuropathic Cancer Pain - Feasibility study (LiCPain). Cancer Symptom Trials forum. PaCCSC & CST Annual Research Forum. 20th March 2024.